Netflix also features one of the most under the radar science fiction television series to arrive in some time in the form of Another Life (2019) featuring Katee Sackhoff. All of the buzz and press surrounds the channel's reboot of Irwin Allen's Lost In Space (1965-1968), but that lacks any of the charm or character of the original series and is generally intended as pure action adventure.
Another Life delivers the character and intensity of solid B science fiction in spades with continued, real potential for its second season to come probing and venturing into actual science fiction. Amazon Prime's The Expanse (2015-present) continues to explore the same kind of quality science fiction with its thrilling fourth season released at the end of 2019. Star Trek: Discovery (2017-present) Season Two also picked up its fine run right where it left off.
Like Another Life, on the unpublicized path of quality science fiction out there for discovery is I Am Mother (2019), a film released the same year as Another Life.
I Am Mother stars Hillary Swank and Rose Byrne (Sunshine), note perfect as the nurturing voice of "Dozer" droid Mother. The other big star of the film is young actress Clara Rugaard who carries much of the dramatic weight of the picture reminiscent of a young Natalie Portman (a la Leon The Professional).
The dynamic between her character and that of the maternally warm voice of Byrne is the true highlight of the picture. It's a kind of female counterpoint to Lost In Space characters' Will Robinson and Robot from the 1960s for a new generation.
The dynamic between the three female principals in the film is suspenseful and intense, while the mood and music of the feature is note perfect. The robot design and effects work in the film is equally fantastic as is the production design on internal and external shooting. These are all aspects to the fully immersive, thoughtful science fiction experience here.
Following a mass extinction Mother nurtures and develops her young protégé to rebuild humanity. The daily life and routines between Mother and child are interrupted with the arrival of Swank's human interloper.
The film questions the intentions of the artificially intelligent (birthed by humanity) Mother versus the seemingly inevitable inclination of humanity's penchant for self-destruction.
What has happened to Earth? What are Mother's programmed directives? What are the interloper's motives? Who is the villain? Many questions are answered as the film reaches its thrilling conclusion, but there is indeed a lot to chew on throughout the journey of I Am Mother. Much like the quiet gestation of an embryo's growth, the film lovingly takes its time with every shot in taking us on its journey.
It's the kind of riveting, suspenseful science fiction that made a film like the cerebral Ex-Machina (2014) so effective.
It is an intimate tale on the evolution of artificial intelligence and like the aforementioned film is thoroughly engaging throughout the film never losing momentum to a wasted frame or shying from embracing its stirring moments of solitude.
I Am Mother is an exceptional, isolating, often pensive science fiction film with fits of excitement. It's gems like this one, thankfully arriving in a world of superhero noise and preposterous Disney Star Wars spectacles, that give our brains a chance to process instead of merely shut down.
This is science fiction with something to say. It is a feast for the eyes rather than a confusing CGI mess of a movie.
This father highly recommends this mother.
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